During the Second World War, brave British and American sailors manned Arctic convoys carrying vital war materials to the Russian port of Murmansk.

This trip within the Arctic Circle was one of the most hazardous and uncomfortable of the convoy routes. The crews faced harsh and treacherous conditions as ice and gale-force storms made life on board almost unbearable.

Even day-to-day tasks were potentially life-threatening. Ice that built up on the upper part of the ship had to be removed to keep all machinery functioning and prevent it from capsizing. Crews not only faced the brutal weather and the risk of slipping into the icy waters, but the convoys were also under constant attack from German-occupied Norway.